Before Her
by Flame Fairy1
Summary: The Tuck's thoughts about Everlasting life before they meet Winne. (Ok I'm not going to do everybody...or maybe I will, when i feel like it)


Before Her: Miles' Point of View Story by Flame Fairy  
  
Disclaimer: All the current characters in the story are from Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. I am not trying to make money here, just write a school story (Yes I wrote this for school!) Please bear with me as I take a shot at how Miles felt about his life 10 years before he met Winne. Thank you  
  
Miles turned over restlessly in his bed. The night was cold, even though it was yet again the beginning of August. Jesse slept in the bed next to him (snoring,) and he thought better than to wake his younger brother up. Miles sighed, and turned on his back again to stare at the ceiling above him.  
  
It had been almost 60 years since his wife, Julia, left him. Even now, as he thought about it, it hurt. Why had she left him so suddenly? That was a stupid question to ask, he already knew why she had.  
  
It was just about this stupid everlasting life. The entire fact about living forever, as a twenty-two-year-old was still disturbing to him. It was that wretched spring's entire fault. He should have stayed with the cat and not drink it. But it was too late now; he couldn't undo that single mistake.  
  
Miles furrowed his brow in frustration, and he sat up. Everything was still dark, only lit by the moonlight shining through the dirty window to his left. He shivered, grabbed a trench coat hanging on the wall and slipped it on. Then quietly as ever, slipped downstairs and outside.  
  
The pond was reflecting the moon and starlight on everything around it, making the water glow silver. Miles approached, slipping his hands into his pockets. The pond knew all the answers - to everything.  
  
He stopped at the shore, looking down at the silver water. Not even a ripple touched its surface, and every one of its inhabitants were quiet. Even the colonies of toads were asleep along the shore.  
  
Miles took off the coat, shivering again as he put it in the boat, which wobbled a bit - disturbing the calm surface. He didn't seem to notice as he waded into the pond, closing his eyes at the cool tingling. It's not like he was going to get pneumonia.  
  
Soon he was lying on his back in the middle of the pond, floating calmly as he stared up at the starry sky. Now - back to thinking.  
  
The pond always reminded him of Anna. He liked fishing, and he guessed she liked it to. But he couldn't blame her for going with her mother - it was scary seeing your father as old as you were.  
  
He took a sharp but quiet breath in, closing his eyes. He tried sifting through other ideas other than his family. Aah yes - his job. The blacksmith. It was mildly easy for him, not having to worry about getting hurt with all those fiery and sharp objects. He sort of liked it - the job that is - but he couldn't stay for two long because of the spring water. Maybe he'd work in that town - Treegap - one day. The town really needed some economic help.  
  
Miles felt something brush his leg, and looked idly down to see what it was. It was a fish. "Just a fish," he muttered to himself, telling himself he was stupid to think it was anything at all, not like anything could permanently hurt him. But no surprises make life dull, and life had reached the dullest point.  
  
He then righted himself and swam back to shore, stumbling as the air chilled him to the bone in his soaking clothes. Miles looked out onto the pond again. still as peaceful as ever. An idea struck his head, and he lent down and picked up the coat in the boat. Going through the idea again, he slipped it on and pushed off the boat from the shore, jumping in just as it got deeper.  
  
Slightly irritated by the huge oars, he pushed them off once he had stopped the boat in the middle of the pond. Perhaps he should sleep here tonight? It quiet, meaning Jesse's snores didn't echo in his ear for nine hours. He then nodded to himself, and lay on his back, staring at the stars.  
  
He must have dozed off, because the next thing he saw was a bright pink sky, and Jesse shouting: "Hey since you're out there, you wouldn't mind catching some fish, eh?!"  
  
A/N - I will only continue if I get 5+ Reviews :P 


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